Sermon Central
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A New Zeal For God
Contributed by Ivan Casteel on May 22, 2005 (message contributor)
Summary: CHALLENGING CHRISTIANS TO EVALUATE THEIR CHRISTIAN WALK
PP0553 DATE
A NEW ZEAL FOR GOD!!
2Ki 10:15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.
16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.
(KJV)
INTRODUCTION: Everyone has a zeal for something. Some it would be a zeal for pleasure. Some it would be a zeal for work. Some it would be a zeal for money. Others would have a zeal for the Lord.
Jehu was king of Israel and he had a great zeal to exterminate the house of Ahab. That is what he is doing in this chapter. By eliminating Ahab’s household it would strengthen Jehu’s hold and status in Israel. Thus the reason for his zeal.
Our church needs a new zeal. Some of our people have lost their zeal. You have lost that drive that you once had. You don’t invite people with that vibrant feeling that was once present in your Christian life. A Christian or a Church without a Zeal will do little or nothing for God.
The 1828 dictionary defines zeal as:
Enthusiastic and diligent.
Devotion in pursuit of a cause, ideal, or goal.
Zealot: One who is zealous. A fanatically committed person.
Zealous: Filled with or motivated by zeal.
Ardent.
Fervent.
I want to give you some areas in which we need to get a new zeal. Without a new zeal in our Christian life we will become stagnant and uncaring. Many have already reached the finish in failure to have a zeal.
I. A NEW ZEAL FOR THE HOME
I checked and approximately one of every twenty-five sermons I preach are on the home. You have heard every aspect of the home. You have heard about how to serve God through the home and your marriage.
Last Sunday I started a new series of six messages called “Bible Marriages”. I have taken six couples from the Bible and have made comparisons and examples for each of us to see and to learn from.
The problem in America is not the White House – nor the school house – our problem is our own house and the church house.
A. God Instituted The First Home.
1. Adam and Eve. Husband and wife. Not live in partners – A man and a woman
2. Cain and Abel – Children.
B. Many Homes Have Become Merely A Place To Sleep And Eat. What is your home like?
1. A Father – the leader of the home.
2. A Mother – the keeper of the home.
3. Children – the blessing of the home.
America is in the mess today because the homes of America have failed. If 75% of the homes would return to what a home should, be then America could be great again. Much of the Bible expectation for homes would be visible again if our homes would follow the Bible standard for the home.
We need a new zeal in the home.
II. A NEW ZEAL FOR THE BIBLE
You may be surprised how many have no more zeal for the Bible than they would the sales section in today’s newspaper.
A. How Many Of You Read Your Bible Everyday?
How many are on some plan to read it through this year? There is still time. If you will read 6 or 7 chapters each day you will easily complete reading the Bible through this year.
B. How Many Have Read The Bible Nearly Everyday So Far This Year?
1. I learned that following the Bible principles will solve all my problems.
2. Sometimes when I read the Bible my heart gets so full of God’s goodness and blessings until I just sit and rejoice or maybe weep.
C. What About Bible Teaching Time? Are you in Sunday School Class regularly? Is Sunday School a priority with you? Or is it a take it or leave it choice with you?
Sunday School is part of the Sunday Morning service. We only have one service each Sunday morning and Sunday School is part of that service. Do you attend the full service or just half of a service. If you skip Sunday School then you just attend half of the service – and you are only getting what God has planned for you. How can you operate if you only get half of the instructions?
D. Do You Commit Scripture To Memory? (Psa 119:11 KJV) Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
